


Holding Close and Letting Go

by Cat_Moon



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Domestic, Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, Not Children of Earth Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-14 21:22:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20854427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Cat_Moon
Summary: Parents try to cope with their bird leaving the nest.





	Holding Close and Letting Go

**Author's Note:**

> Written for challenge #25 One Track Mind, at [](https://fandomweekly.dreamwidth.org/profile)[](https://fandomweekly.dreamwidth.org/)**fandomweekly**  


Ianto and Jack were spending a rare evening alone, relaxing on the couch and watching the latest crime drama on television.

Ianto had a leg draped over one of Jack's, making himself comfortable by using his partner's body as a giant pillow. “I think we've seen this episode before.”

“Probably,” Jack agreed. “Wanna get naked?”

Ianto giggled, but he would deny it if anyone accused him. “Speaking of a one-track mind...”

“Uh oh, I recognize that tone.” After two decades of marriage, he knew exactly when his husband was gearing up to have a serious discussion. As averse as they once were, time and practice had made it, if not enjoyable, definitely easier.

The couple was distracted by action on the screen for a few minutes, as police stormed the criminal's hideout, guns blazing. It was an American show, but not so much different from how Torchwood often did business.

“Tyler's been hinting,” Ianto said during a commercial break, trusting Jack would know what he was talking about.

“Here we go again.”

“It was so much easier when he was six.”

Jack scoffed. “You mean when he told his nine-year-old sister that their Dads fought aliens for a living?”

Ianto had known early on not to underestimate their son, although no one was perfect and sometimes they miscalculated. They never knew how Tyler had figured it out, suspecting it was a case of little pitchers having big ears. As parents, they had an agreement not to lie to their children but preferred to reveal things on an 'age-appropriate' basis. The Harkness-Jones children had enough to deal with as it was. Tyler though, soaked up everything like a sponge. There was no stopping him. And therein was the problem.

“He wants a part-time job. Guess where?”

“I don't have to.” Jack sighed. “He asked me last night. I told him we'd have to talk it over.”

It was Ianto's turn to sigh. The light in Tyler's eyes concerning Torchwood had been there from a young age, and despite brief interests in astronomy and aviation, his true desire had never really wavered.

Jack slung an arm around Ianto's shoulders. “I guess the time we were dreading but knew was coming is here?”

“I'm afraid we're gonna lose our son,” Ianto admitted in a whisper.

It was his greatest fear. Tyler was a product of Jack and Ianto both in genetics and personality; adventurous, smart, sarcastic, and very independent. He wasn't the type to play it safe. Ianto hated to bring his worries up with Jack, though. Some things would always be a sore spot, and the immortal had his own unique set of issues where that topic was concerned.

“I know.” Jack kissed him gently. “And you know how I feel about it. We can keep him close, where we can guide and keep an eye on him, or we can say no. In which case, god knows what he'll do or where he'll go.”

“Better Torchwood than the military or UNIT,” Ianto added. It wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation.

“You know...” Jack said speculatively. “It might work out in our favor. Maybe easier to get through these teenage years, wouldn't have to worry where he was or what he was doing...”

Ianto nodded, liking the possible benefits Jack brought up. “You have a point there.”

“And maybe after he's cleaned out a few Weevil cages and mopped up an exploding alien or two, he might even think twice about his career choice.”

Ianto sputtered in laughter. “You wouldn't?!”

Jack raised eyebrows at him. “You better believe I would. What?” he added when Ianto continued giving him the surprised/amused look. “It's part of the job, everybody has to do it.”

“I did. Still do,” he added wryly. Being second in command of base operations wasn't as glamorous as one might think.

“Exactly. No one's above all that.”

“We'll need to have a talk with him, lay down some rules,” Ianto said, his mind already thinking ahead to the details.

“Done for now?” Jack asked, sliding his hand under Ianto's T-shirt. “We don't get too many opportunities to have the house to ourselves.”

“I don't even remember the last time we did it somewhere besides a bed,” he responded... to more than the words, as shivers chased each other over the skin that was being caressed.

“Not counting in the shower, and that time we kicked everyone out of the Hub so we could have a nostalgic game of naked hide and seek,” Jack reminded. He hit the button on the remote, and the room was plunged into darkness.

“Well, it _was_ date night.”

There would be time enough for fretting about tomorrow when it arrived. Tonight, they would lose themselves in each other and their endless moment.

**the end**

9/27/19


End file.
